


1.18: Springtime Is For Lovers

by JustLikeTheSong



Series: NYC Spin-Off 'Verse [21]
Category: Glee
Genre: F/M, Friendship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-07-26
Packaged: 2017-12-21 05:45:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/896514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustLikeTheSong/pseuds/JustLikeTheSong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(1) Kurt and his roommates welcome Mercedes into the loft for her visit to NYC, and Kurt keeps a secret from Mercedes.</p><p>(2) Derick, Rachel and Blaine's classmate from NYADA, serenades Rachel.</p><p>(3) While visiting her friends in New York, Mercedes learns that Sam is also in the city.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Reconnecting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BadgerInMySoup](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadgerInMySoup/gifts).



> tumblr user kim-is-a-klainer prompted (not verbatim): Mercedes and Sam both visit New York and the same time and Kurt and Blaine neglect to tell each of them that the other will be there.

“I’m so excited!” [Rachel](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0o1gwiBJL1qeds6ko1_500.jpg) sang out, holding the last syllable as she raced across the loft.

[Kurt](http://0.tqn.com/d/mensfashion/1/0/H/3/AH073.JPG) and [Blaine](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m50a4upld31qc17uuo1_500.png) were leaning against the counter, arms around each other’s waists. Kurt was munching on a handful of pretzels from the bowl beside him.

“You didn’t tell her, right?” Blaine asked.

Kurt scoffed, rolling his eyes as Rachel needlessly fluffed the pillows on the couch. “Telling Rachel would be as good as telling Mercedes.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t caved and told her,” Blaine teased, squeezing Kurt’s side lightly.

Kurt popped another pretzel in his mouth. “I’m only a terrible gossip when I have no interest in keeping secrets. So, Rachel knows Mercedes is staying with us this weekend, but she doesn’t know Sam will be in the city at the same time.”

Rachel was now rearranging the magazines stacked on their coffee table. Kurt narrowed his eyes and bit into a pretzel when she shoved the latest issue of Vogue to the bottom of the pile.

“And you didn’t tell Sam?” Kurt asked with a teasing lilt in his voice, the effect slightly ruined since he was speaking around a pretzel.

“Nope.” Blaine leaned over and bit off the other end of the pretzel caught between Kurt’s teeth, pressing a brief smiling kiss to his lips before he pulled away and chewed with smug satisfaction. “Sam's getting here later tonight, Mike’s all set up to have Sam stay with him, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“I hope we’re doing the right thing, not telling them. I just don’t want Mercedes all stressed out before she sees him.” Kurt watched Rachel carefully, making sure she hadn’t overheard. She was looking into a mirror in the wall, eyebrows raised almost to her hairline, doing vocal warm ups.

“Me-me-me-me-me-me!” She frowned, pressing a hand to her throat, and then stared at her reflection determinedly. “ME-me-me-me-me-me!”

“I love how she skips over the “you”s,” Kurt muttered, “what is she even doing?”

“Looks like she’s expecting a diva off-the minute Mercedes walks in the door,” Blaine said with a snicker.

“Oh, don’t you laugh,” Kurt said, smirking, “or I’ll have to tell everyone about that list of duets you want to do with Mercedes at karaoke tonight.”

“Hey, I have no reason to hide that list. All those songs are great!”

“Well, still.” Kurt shovelled more pretzels into his mouth. “Unlike the two of you, not to mention Santana this morning, hogging the bathroom forever so her hair and make up were ‘Troubletones quality’, I, at least, am keeping a level head about our dear friend’s arrival.”

Blaine laughed. “Is that so?” He nudged the now-empty pretzel bowl just as Kurt’s hand dove in for more.

Kurt groaned and grabbed the bowl, heading to the cupboard to fill it up again. Blaine smacked his butt lightly as he passed in front of him and Kurt let out a mock gasp of indignation, looking over his shoulder at his boyfriend in what he hoped was a sexy glare.

Just as he returned to Blaine’s side with a fresh bowl of pretzels, sternly telling himself not to eat any more, and Rachel was starting in on her scales, the door swung open.

“The hottest bitches in New York have arrived!” [Santana](http://24.media.tumblr.com/2f57d5a3344081ff83a6d1d56e812649/tumblr_mho8d4tHz41qeds6ko1_500.jpg) announced, walking in and dropping her school bag and a small tote on the floor.

“Hey guys!” [Mercedes](http://25.media.tumblr.com/fb09f8c68c0c5c55ae415c11a4b228dc/tumblr_mernj3pd8N1qkshc5o2_250.png) rushed in after her, a big grin on her face, pulling a suitcase in behind her.  Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel all rushed to her at once. Rachel nearly knocked Mercedes over with the force of her hug and Blaine reached out to steady them, throwing his arms around both girls.

Kurt hung back, smiling impishly, until Mercedes was free, and she grinned at him, walking forward and pulling him into a hug.  He pressed his face against her shoulder and snuggled against her warm, soft body. There had been a time when Mercedes’s hugs were the only ones he knew.

“What, no love for me?” Santana drawled.

“Face it, Santana,” Rachel sing-songed, “you’re boring to us now.” She dodged Santana’s kick.

“Watch it, Willow, or I’ll go all ringwraith on your ass.”

“Those are different movies, Santana,” Blaine said, chuckling with Mercedes.

“Of course you’d know that, dork,” Santana told him sweetly. “Been talking to Sam lately?”

Kurt almost yelped at the name, and he watched nervously as Mercedes’s eyes widened slightly and she blushed, but Santana didn’t say anything. She had unfortunately found out about the coincidentally-timed visits a few days ago. Kurt and Blaine had bribed her with a free meal at the all-you-can-eat pasta joint three streets over to stay quiet, but that was no guarantee with Santana.

As everyone moved to the living room, Santana gave Kurt a devilish wink. Kurt glared at her and grabbed the pretzels, popping one into his mouth as he went to sit by Mercedes on the couch.

Mercedes looked at the pretzels in his lap and frowned. “Baby, I hope you’re not stress-eating because of me,” she said, taking a pretzel.

“Of course not!” Kurt beamed at her. “I’m just so excited to see you!”

Rachel quickly took over the conversation, chattering at full volume about all the things she had planned for the visit. Kurt sighed and turned to look at Blaine, who was sitting on the arm of the couch beside him. Blaine smiled down at Kurt and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, and Kurt wiggled a little closer to rest his cheek against his thigh while Santana cut Rachel off to tell her the itinerary she was currently passing out was incredibly lame.

***

“...this is my favorite study nook,” [Rachel](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mewkp69Suy1qilqg8.png) said, gesturing to a small alcove at the end of the hall she, [Kurt](http://urbantakeout.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/longleggings2.jpg?w=700), and [Mercedes](http://images.buddytv.com/btv_2_800044837_1_434_593_0_/amber-riley-at-the--.jpg) were walking down.  She grabbed Kurt and Mercedes’s hands and pulled them to sit down.  It was Saturday afternoon, and Kurt was nervously killing time with Rachel and Mercedes while Blaine hung out with Santana, Mike, and Sam. Kurt was surprised when Santana had informed Blaine she was going with him to meet Mike and Sam rather than spending time with Mercedes; he suspected it had something to do with a small black "Book of Trouty Insults" she had tucked in her purse when they left that morning.

“Okay, if we’re down to study nooks, I think we’re officially done with this tour of NYADA,” Kurt said dryly, and Mercedes giggled.

“The acoustics right here are amazing,” Rachel insisted.

“Rachel,” Mercedes said, holding up a hand, “please do not tell me you actually sing while other people are trying to study.”

“Of course not!”

Kurt and Mercedes gave her dubious looks.

“Uh, hey, Rachel! And Kurt!”

The three of them looked up. Kurt recognized the cute guy standing in front of them. It was [Derick,](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R-5kp8rvgMA/Sl8etkJu_AI/AAAAAAAAHK4/MJk3TDy2r_U/s400/Hunter+Parrish+GQ.jpg) Blaine and Rachel’s classmate that had helped them busk properly. Rachel had been noticeably distant around the guy, and had struggled to give Kurt a convincing reason as to why (“I’m sure he thinks I’m entirely too provincial, and that means he doesn’t respect me. If he can’t respect me, he can’t respect my talent, and we’d never be able to produce a duet up to my standards under those conditions. I’m totally focused on my career right now, Kurt. Quirky guitar-players will only lead us down a path of street performance and sub-par work. Is that what you want? Is it?!”).

“And who is this?” Mercedes asked in a lofty voice. “A...friend of yours, Rachel?”

“Derick,” Rachel blurted out, “um, a classmate. Strictly professional. I mean...” She cleared her throat, face reddening and Kurt and Mercedes fought not to laugh. “Derick, this is my friend visiting from L.A., Mercedes.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Derick said, adjusting the strap of his guitar case, which was slung over his shoulders.

“Trust me, I’m getting way more pleasure out of this than you currently are, honey,” Mercedes said sweetly, and she and Kurt wiggled their fingers together, ignoring Rachel’s glare.

“Right...um, Rachel, I was wondering if I could speak to you for a minute?”

“You absolutely can,” Kurt jumped in before Rachel could speak, “Rachel’s just finished giving us a tour so Mercedes and I will be just fine on our own.”

Derick sent him a grateful smile, scratching the back of his neck.  “Great.” He raised questioning eyebrows at Rachel while she gaped at Kurt and Mercedes.

“Have fun,” Mercedes said with a wave, looping her arm through Kurt’s.  They waited as long as possible before bursting into a fit of giggles.

“Ohh, that was mean,” Kurt said, catching his breath. They pushed open a door to a small auditorium and sauntered down the aisle.

“Mean, shmean,” Mercedes said, “Rachel’s meddled enough in other people’s love lives to know not to expect any mercy.”

Kurt pursed his lips, trying not to think of his and Blaine’s own meddling this weekend. He hoped Mercedes wouldn’t put any rocks through any windows when she found out Sam was in the city too.  She never said much on the off chance that his name came up in Skype conversations, but Kurt knew she still had feelings for him.

“Hey,” Mercedes said, nudging Kurt in the side, “everything okay? Do you need to tell me something?”

“No,” Kurt forced a smile, “everything’s fine.” At least, he hoped it would be.

“Well in that case,” she said as she hopped up onto the stage, “I have something I want to talk about with you.”

“Oh?”

Mercedes sighed, looking down at her hands. Kurt frowned at her change in mood.

“I know this is supposed to be a fun trip, and I don’t want to be a downer; it’s just...seeing you all here, in New York...you’re like a little family.” She shrugged her shoulders.  “I love L.A., but...when we were in sophomore year, you and I used to talk about taking the world by storm, living out our dreams together.  I guess it’s just hard, you know, that we’ve drifted apart, and those things we imagined doing together, you’re doing with other people. With Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez, of all people.”

Kurt gave her a sympathetic smile in reply to her wry laugh.  “Mercedes...I’m so sorry. I didn’t want your visit to make you feel sad.”

Mercedes waved a hand. “It’s just me being silly. I mean, you were the one who tried to coax me into going to school here. But UCLA is amazing, and my singing contract pretty much sealed the deal.”

Kurt felt a twisting ache in his belly as he looked at his first ever real friend. They were all growing up in their own ways, and sometimes he thought Mercedes was more graceful at it that the rest of them. It hurt to see her so sad and so young.

“I don’t want us to drift away,” Kurt said, taking her hands “what can we do? Skype more? Maybe Blaine and I can save up and make a trip to see you this summer?”

Mercedes looked at him and offered him a small smile before standing up and helping him to his feet. “You know what I really miss?” She asked, heading over to the left wing, where the sound system was located.

“What would that be?” Kurt replied, biting down on a smile.

She plugged her iPod into the stereo and whipped around to face him as [music](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz-UvQYAmbg) suddenly burst out of the crackling speakers.

“Singing with you.”

“ _Listen, baby,_ ” she sang, “ _ain’t no mountain high, ain’t no valley low, ain’t no river wide enough, baby!_ ”

“ _If you need me, call me_ ,” Kurt replied, skipping towards her, “ _no matter where you are, no matter how far.._.”

“ _Don’t worry, baby!_ ”

“ _Just call my name, I’ll be there in a hurry; you don’t have to worry..._ ”

Mercedes pulled Kurt into a hug and he huffed out a laugh through the lyrics of the song. They began to strut across the stage, reminding him of their first official duet together, when they had joined the Cheerios in sophomore year.

“‘ _Cause baby, there ain’t no mountain high enough,_ ” they sang together, linking hands and dancing around the stage, sloppy and silly.

“ _My love is alive, way down in my heart, although we are miles apart,_ ” Kurt sang, twirling Mercedes under his arm over and over.

“ _If you ever need a helping hand_ ,” Mercedes sang back, grasping Kurt’s and pulling him across the stage, “ _I’ll be there on the double, just as fast as I can..._ ”

Kurt let the joy of the song fill him, happy to see Mercedes feeling better. His life had been so busy that it was really only in pockets of down time that he was hit with just how much he missed the people he loved that were so far away. Mercedes, Dad and Carole, Finn...it always felt good to reconnect with them when he could.

“ _Ain’t no river wide enough,_ ” they sang in harmony, “ _to keep me from getting to you..._ ”

 He only hoped Mercedes would be happy to reconnect with Sam, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs:
> 
> Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell) by Mercedes and Kurt


	2. I Stutter My Words

[Rachel](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mewkp69Suy1qilqg8.png) glared at the backs of [Kurt](http://urbantakeout.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/longleggings2.jpg?w=700) and [Mercedes](http://images.buddytv.com/btv_2_800044837_1_434_593_0_/amber-riley-at-the--.jpg)’s heads as they skipped down the hall, abandoning her in her hour of need. Her carefully planned and perfectly executed tour of NYADA had taken a very sudden and very awkward turn.

“So,” [Derick](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R-5kp8rvgMA/Sl8etkJu_AI/AAAAAAAAHK4/MJk3TDy2r_U/s400/Hunter+Parrish+GQ.jpg) said, shifting his weight in front of her. He extended his hand toward her and she took it, reluctantly approving of his chivalry as he helped her to stand.  She pulled her hand out of his grasp once she was on her feet.

“What did you want to talk about?” Rachel asked, focusing on a piece of lint on his shoulder and smoothing the skirt of her dress absently. “I’m afraid I don’t have much time.” She looked down the hall again, where Kurt and Mercedes had disappeared.

Derick cringed. “I know, I shouldn’t have interrupted you guys, but I didn’t know when I’d get another chance to see you.”

She could feel her cheeks heating up, and pressed her lips together, meeting his eyes and raising her eyebrows in invitation.

Derick began to walk backwards, and entirely too-cute-for-her-own-good smile on his face. “Will you come with me? I promise this won’t take long.”

He took her to the next building over, into the auditorium that had hosted NYADA’s Winter Showcase last December.

“So, I know we don’t know each other very well,” he began, when they arrived in front of the stage, “but...I do think I know you well enough to know that a stage is probably the best place to have this conversation.” He started to shrug his guitar case off his shoulders, unzipping it and pulling out the guitar.

Rachel’s eyes grew wide and her heart started to hammer in her chest. “I...”

“The thing is,” Derick looked up from his guitar, “I really like you. I think you’re beautiful and amazingly, terrifyingly talented. I saw you perform at the Winter Showcase and it blew my mind.” He ducked his head, blushing, and Rachel just stared at him, at a loss for words. “I remember that night I couldn’t stop writing; I felt so inspired. Song lyrics, dialogue, new characters...and then, I found out you were in one of my classes this semester and I spent an embarrassing number of weeks trying to figure out what to say to strike up a conversation with you. You’d come in every class looking like you stepped off the set of a Doris Day movie, which at first I thought was some sort of ironic statement, which I liked, but then I realized that was just you, and I liked it even more...” He took a deep breath. “I’m rambling. I don’t really have much experience actually romancing someone, but...I was hoping you’d let me sing to you.”

Rachel looked at Derick, a handsome upperclassman who wanted to romance her...hadn’t she been down this road already? But this seemed different, he seemed different. Nervous energy crackled between them and Rachel felt warm and tingly all over at the thought of a boy actually being creatively inspired by her talent.  “Alright,” she blurted out, and Derick blinked in surprise before smiling again. Rachel moved to take a seat in the front row, but Derick caught her arm.

“Wait!” He hastily pulled a chair over to the stage. “I thought you could be on the stage.”

Her belly swooped and she ducked her head, unable to surpress a smile as she took a seat on the stage, warmed by the stage lights, and Derick stood in front of her, shadows lending him a little alluring mystery.  He started to [strum](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvS75t9rG94) his guitar.

“I’ve been working on this one ever since you and Blaine let me join your busking club,” he said, quietly, “and I realized there was something to all those cliches about romance.”

Rachel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear nervously when he started to sing.

“ _On the days I can’t see your eyes, I don’t even want to open mine.._.”

Rachel’s breath caught in her throat as she listened to the lyrics, floating through the air on his startlingly rich voice.

“ _...see, the days I can hear your voice, I’m left without a choice..._ ”

She’d always imagined herself as the kind of actress and singer that would one day inspire legions of creative souls to produce some of the most beautiful music and writing the world had ever known, but the reality of being someone’s muse was overwhelming.

“ _...’cause even when you just walk by, well, I look around to seem occupied, ‘cause I’m trying to hard to hide all of these feelings inside..._ ”

Rachel couldn’t help but imagine how they would sound together on a duet. It was a wonderful fantasy: Derick writing a song because of her that they would then perform for adoring crowds that could see what a perfect match they were, both musically and romantically.

“ _I get weak in the knees, fall head over heels, baby, and every other cheesy cliche. Yes, I’m swept off my feet, my heart skips a beat, and there’s really only one thing to say..._ ”

It was wonderful...and a fantasy. And hadn’t she fallen victim to fantasy far too often in the past? Didn’t she want to focus on her career, not on yet another torrid love affair? Rachel knew heartbreak lent itself well to the creative spirit, but there was only so much one young ingenue could take.  She thought of how it had felt to find Brody and Cassandra in that coatroom, the hurt and humiliation.  She thought of how she had wanted to die when Finn put her on that train a year ago, how she'd pined for him for months.  

“ _Goddamn, you’re beautiful...to me..._ ”

The final notes of the guitar faded away and Derick met her eyes, smiling tentatively. He must have seen something in her expression, though, because his smile dropped.

“I’m sorry,” Rachel said, standing up, “that-that was lovely. But I need to go. I’m sorry.”

“Rachel!” He called after her, but she walked briskly back up the aisle without looking back, tears stinging her eyes.

When she found Kurt and Mercedes, she was grateful they didn’t tease her. The three of them took the subway back to the loft, silent and cuddled close. Rachel was glad to have their reassuring warmth against her for the trip, but she still curled up in her room alone once they were back home, her stomach twisting with confusion and guilt and a longing she wasn’t ready to deal with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs:
> 
> Goddamn You're Beautiful (Chester See) by Derick


	3. If You Feel Like I Feel

“It’s too bad Rachel didn’t feel up for going out tonight,” [Mercedes](http://www.gleefan.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ElleAmber.jpg) said, taking a sip of her drink.

“I feel guilty for leaving her alone with Derick,” [Kurt](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/large_lightbox/hash/3e/b5/3eb5e5d1c9370e303b537bd30341ddb2.jpg?itok=Fv-AFiUu) said over the music and chatter of **A Bar of Note(s)** , “we’ll take her out shopping and to a show tomorrow to cheer her up. You can’t leave New York without going to a Broadway show, Mercedes.”

“Alright, alright,” [Santana](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m37u7yRYVY1qeds6ko1_500.jpg) cut in, “Rachel isn’t even here and so far the night’s all about her anyway. Let’s move on.  Tell me about all the play you’re getting in L.A.”

Mercedes shrugged, a smile playing on her lips. “There hasn’t been much play.”

“Bullshit,” Santana said with a wave of her hand.

“I mean, I’ve been going on dates...” She pursed her lips, looking at Kurt and Santana. Kurt was nodding for her to continue, his eyes wide.  Santana was smirking, stirring her drink with her straw as she gave Kurt a side-long glance. “But there’s no one special. Maybe the one just isn’t in L.A.”

“Who says there has to be just one?” Santana said sweetly, and Kurt smacked her knee.

“Girl, please.” Mercedes rolled her eyes. “You’re the one who is still with her first girlfriend.” Mercedes couldn’t claim the same. Sure, she and Sam had agreed to spend the year apart and see other people, but she hadn’t thought they’d go months without talking. Thinking back to the way they fell into their old vibe at Christmas, flirty and easy, hurt now, because they hadn’t kept in contact since.

It only made sense. Sam was a good-looking, popular guy with abs you could shave ice on. It was only a matter of time before some girl - or girls - scooped him up and made sure he forgot all about an old girlfriend on the other side of the country.

Mercedes had really tried to move on after their first summer together. When Sam’s dad got a new job and he moved away, she really had found happiness with Shane.  But after everything she and Sam had gone through together in her senior year, she knew the way she felt for him had changed into something deeper than a summer fling.  And this past year had proven to her that part of her would probably always be waiting for him, even if he didn’t feel the same way.

“When you’ve got the best, why bother with the rest?” Santana replied easily.  She held her glass up in Kurt’s direction and he smiled and clinked their glasses together, the apples of his cheeks turning pink.

“Time to hit the little girls’ room,” Santana said, draining her drink and standing up.

Kurt watched her leave and then turned back to Mercedes.  “Okay, I can’t do this any more.”

Mercedes looked at him in confusion. “Can’t do what?”

Kurt put down his drink carefully, avoiding her eyes. He fiddled with his tie, obviously stalling.

Mercedes narrowed her eyes. “Spit it out.”

“Okay,” Kurt said with a sigh, “just please don’t throw your drink at me or anything because this suit would cost me my firstborn child to clean...Well, the situation is...” He leaned forward, eyes earnest. “First of all, understand that this was in no way arranged by Blaine and I; we just sort of...went along with it. A lie by omission. Well, a bunch of lies, since Rachel doesn’t know and Sam doesn’t - “

Mercedes held a hand up. “Wait. What about Sam?”

“He’s here,” Kurt said, seeming to relax as soon as he said it, “in the city.”

Mercedes, on the other hand, was far from relaxed. “What?!”

“He’s coming here tonight, with Blaine and Mike. Oh God.” Kurt pressed his hands to his cheeks. “I didn’t want you all stressed out this weekend thinking about him so I thought I should just...not tell you.”

“Kurt!”

“But now I see that was the wrong thing to do,” he rushed on, awkwardly patting her hand, so, maybe you can give me a little credit for seeing the error of my ways and warning you before he gets here?”

“Don’t bat your eyelashes at me,” Mercedes warned, “I know all your tricks.”

Kurt pouted.

Mercedes slumped back in her seat, taking a long gulp of her drink. Sam...was in the same city as her. If she didn’t leave this bar, she would see him soon. What would she say? What would he say? Would he be happy to see her?

Would she be happy to see him?

“Lord,” she said, giving Kurt a half-hearted glare, prompting him to give her some serious puppy dog eyes, “this is going to be crazy awkward.”

Kurt looked down at his phone and rolled his eyes before showing her a text from Blaine.

**I caved. Sam knows. You should probably tell Mercedes. Sorry!**

“What’d I miss?” Santana said, plopping down next to Mercedes. She looked at both of them for a second. “Hummel, you narced, didn’t you?”

Kurt said something snarky in reply, but Mercedes wasn’t paying attention. She was trying to get a hold of her racing thoughts. She felt queasy with nerves, but there was something else there, too.  Something that had been bubbling underneath the surface for a long time: anger. She realized she was angry, not really with Kurt, but with Sam, and with herself for just letting this happen.  But most of all, she just felt a yearning for him, especially now that she knew he was so close.

She needed to get it out of her system.

Wordlessly, she got up, ignoring Kurt and Santana’s questions, and made her way to the stage. The current act was just finishing up.

She took the stage and told the band what song to play.

“Hi, I’m Mercedes,” she said into the mike, glancing over at her table. Kurt had turned around in the booth and propped his chin between his hands, resting his elbows on the high back. Santana put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. “And this is about not knowing where you stand any more.”

During the opening piano [notes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeXWyRE09T4), she collected herself, closing her eyes and finding her center.

“ _I keep your picture beside my bed, mmm,”_ she sang, soft and smooth, “ _and I still remember everything you said..._ ”

Her body swayed gently to the music and she gripped the microphone stand, remembering how it felt to sing to Sam.  To see his face filled with admiration and love, and to know he truly did think she was incredible.

She opened her eyes. “ _...if what we had was good, how come you don’t call me...any more?_ ”

When she had broken up with Shane and told Sam she couldn’t be with him, she thought it was the most painful feeling in the world.

“ _...everybody said, everybody said that we should never part..._ ”

But deep down, even if it was selfish, she knew it hurt worse to think that he had given up on her.

“ _...tell me, baby, baby, baby, why, why you wanna go and break my heart?_ ”

The crowd was loving it, but the door to the bar swung open and suddenly [Sam](http://24.media.tumblr.com/1319d5fa91499c24a684cffa245192d2/tumblr_mernj3pd8N1qkshc5o3_250.png) was there in front of her and he was all she could focus on.  He was staring up at her, and she was suddenly back in the McKinley auditorium, singing just for him.

“ _...won’t get down on my knees, won’t beg you please..._ ”

He was all wide, blue eyes and plush, pouting lips, and she knew she was a fool for him, after all this time.  She’d spent months accepting he’d moved on and going out with other guys to try to do the same, but just seeing him again brought her back to her blushing schoolgirl days.

“ _...why must you torture me?_ ”

Mercedes blinked as the music of her song faded away. She noticed [Blaine](http://media.tumblr.com/79957a371156a43d394bdf6b1ec743b1/tumblr_inline_mg3opkws0C1qilqg8.png) sliding into the booth beside Kurt and kissing him on the cheek. [Mike](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcja4w0qp11qeds6ko1_500.jpg) sat down beside Santana, stealing her drink and dodging a punch.

Sam was still standing, and he remained so as she made her way back to the table. Her legs felt like spaghetti noodles.

“Hi,” he said, an awkward grin playing on his lips.

“Hi,” she said, fighting a blush and raising her eyebrows in what she hoped looked like casual indifference.

Santana crossed her arms and leaned back with a nasty smile. “This is going to be a fun night.”

***

“Fun” wasn’t the word Mercedes would use.

“Awkward” and “uncomfortable” seemed to fit much better.

Conversation was stilted, with Kurt and Blaine trying valiantly to keep it flowing, Santana looking highly amused and taking pictures at random on her phone, and Mike keeping silent as he very obviously looked back and forth between Mercedes and Sam over and over.

After a good 15 minutes of this hell, Blaine suddenly pointed at Sam in a very Cooper Anderson-like fashion and said “Hey!” really loudly.  Everyone turned to look at him.  Mercedes was grateful for a reason to look away from Sam.

“Sam, weren’t you going to sing tonight?” Blaine said, giving Sam a meaningful look.

Sam chewed on his lip and Mercedes scolded herself for staring at the action. “Uh...something like that. Blaine, why don’t you sing with me?”

Blaine stared at him. “But...you were going to sing-”

“Let’s make it a duet,” Sam said staring Blaine down with wide eyes. He glanced at Mercedes quickly and then back to Blaine. “Please?”

“What’s that about?” Mercedes muttered to Kurt as Blaine shrugged and led Sam toward the stage.

“I honestly have no idea.”

The two of them turned around in the booth, sitting up on their knees for a clear view of the stage. Sam had borrowed a guitar from the band and was sitting on a stool with a mic in front of him. Blaine stood next to him, in front of a microphone stand.

“Hi, everyone,” Sam said, smiling charmingly out at the crowd. He pushed his hair out of his eyes. “I’m not very good with words, and music has always helped me express what I want to say. So, this song is about a chance at greatness.”

He started to [play](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uObn2YuEAt8), and he took Mercedes back to those summer nights when he’d strum his guitar and they’d sing together, with no one else around.

“ _I, I wish I could swim, like the dolphins, like the dolphins can swim..._ ”

Hearing his voice made her think of those times in glee club when he’d lean over during someone else’s performance and sing the lyrics in her ear, his arm snug around her shoulders.

Blaine began to sing (“ _I, I will be king..._ ”) and Mercedes felt Kurt sigh next to her, but her eyes remained on Sam.  He was strumming the guitar almost absently, and looking right at her.

“ _I, I can remember standing by the wall, and the guns shot above our heads, and we kissed as though nothing could fall..._ ”

She wanted to tell herself he couldn’t possibly be singing to her, but he held her gaze the whole way through. When it came to Sam Evans, Mercedes was a glutton for punishment.  Kurt had a dopey smile on his face and Blaine winked at him. Mercedes quickly schooled her features so she wasn’t wearing a similarly sappy expression.

“ _We could be heroes, just for one day...we could be heroes..._ ”

Mercedes squared her shoulders as Sam and Blaine made their way back to the table. She was determined to get through the remainder of the evening with some sort of dignity intact.

Kurt, however, seemed to have other plans. He jumped up before Blaine could sit down and grabbed his hand. “Gentlemen, that was a stirring tribute to the fashionable and boundary-pushing Sir David Bowie. In fact, I feel inspired. I think we should all go sing. Oh, except Sam, can you stay and watch the drinks?” Sam sat down warily, and Kurt nudged Santana.

“Oh, right, and since I trust Flounder about as far as I can throw him, Mercedes, you have to stay here and look after my purse,” Santana purred, tossing her heavy bag into Mercedes’ lap.

Mike joined the three of them and they all rushed away, giggling.

“Subtle!” Mercedes called out sourly, vowing to herself to make them all pay later.

“So,” Sam said in his Sean Connery accent, “here we are, alone at last.”

Mercedes fiddled with the straw in her drink. “Looks like it.”

The rest of their group started in on a spirited version of [Let’s Get It On](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go_tRctLmbc).

The subtlety continued.

Sam cleared his throat, speaking in his regular voice. “You l-...how have you been?”

“Good,” she said, nodding, “things are great in L.A.”

He gave her a cautious glance.  “Are you seeing anyone?”

Mercedes snorted.  “Are you kidding me, Sam?”

“What?”

“Maybe you’d know the answer to that question if you bothered to talk to me anymore,” she snapped.

“If I bothered - it’s not like you’ve been very chatty lately!”

She opened her mouth to argue but stopped.  It was true, technically.  After their flirtation at Christmas, she’d been so sure Sam would be calling and messaging her right away, so when he didn’t, she felt discouraged. He’d fought so hard to be with her last year that the radio silence had told her all she needed to know.  Or so she’d thought.

“I’m not seeing anyone special,” she muttered.

Sam scratched the back of his head. “I know I should have kept in touch, but when I didn’t hear from you after Christmas, I lost my nerve.”

Mercedes couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head. Sam smiled nervously, and it was adorable.  “You know, for two people separated over and over, we’re somehow still on the same page.”

Sam leaned toward her, all Southern charm and boyish earnestness. “I always loved that about us.”

Mercedes’s brain and heart were at war. Did she really think round three with Sam would be any different than the first two? The universe seemed to always be working against them. Was this even something she wanted to try for? Did Sam still want to try? But there he was, looking and smelling so good, and he was going to graduate soon, and he could go anywhere...

“What about you?” Mercedes asked, aiming for casual and failing miserably. “I’m sure half the female population at McKinley has been chasing after you this year.

Sam looked down sheepishly. “I’ve gone on some dates, hung out with some people. I’m supposed to take Harmony to prom; she is one scary girl when she wants something.”

“You mean the mini-Rachel?” Mercedes grinned. “Figures she’d try to turn you and her into the next Finn and Rachel. Someone should warn her that it would only lead to disaster.”

Sam blew out a breath.  “Mercedes...I swear I didn’t know you’d be here this weekend.”

“Neither did I.”

“But since we are both here...I feel like it’s a sign or something.” He hesitated.

“What are your plans after graduation?” She asked him softly.

“Kind of up in the air.” He met her gaze. “I’ve still got that offer from Puck to help him run his pool cleaning business.”

Mercedes felt her heart swell. Sam was looking at her with an innocent hope in his eyes, and when she thought back to how much he had put himself out there for her in the past, all he’d done to make sure she knew how he felt about her and how badly he wanted to be with her, she knew what she had to do.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Sam looked at her surprised. “Right now? Ditch our friends who actually know their way around New York?”

“Don’t worry,” Mercedes teased, “I won’t let you get lost. Like that time two summers ago in that House of Mirrors.”

Sam laughed. “You still remember that, huh?”

“I don’t blame you. I’d probably lose track of where I was if I saw you wherever I turned, too.”

She had to congratulate herself on that smooth flirtation, especially when it got her a blush and made Sam pull himself to his feet and offer her his hand.

“Let’s go. I’m up for an adventure.”

Part one of their adventure was getting some sketchy hot dogs from the food vendor a block down from the bar.

Part two was making out underneath a store canopy when it started raining, sighing against Sam's soft lips and laughing when he told her she was beautiful in Na'vi.

As for part three...well, Mercedes hoped this was just the beginning of their adventure together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs: 
> 
> \- How Come You Don't Call Me (Alicia Keys) by Mercedes  
> \- Heroes (David Bowie) by Sam and Blaine  
> \- Let's Get It On (Marvin Gaye) by Kurt, Blaine, Santana, and Mike

**Author's Note:**

> Song Order: Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Goddamn You're Beautiful, How Come You Don't Call Me?, Heroes, Let's Get It On


End file.
